About

$10,212

pledged of $9,000 goal

252

backers

WE DID IT!!!! INFINITE thanks to everyone who has supported (1)ne Drop.

Pre-order
the LIMITED EDITION (1)ne Drop E-book with your pledge of $50 or more.
This e-book will not be for sale and will be the only edition of the
book to include exclusive (never before seen) portraits of ALL 40+
contributors. At this level, you will also receive an electronic copy of
the (1)ne Drop Exhibit Catalog. 3 more days to take advantage of this
opportunity!

THE MORE WE RAISE, THE MORE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH! PLEASE continue to $UPPORT!

Africana Studies scholar Yaba Blay, Ph.D.
and photographer Noelle Théard are collaborating on an innovative new project: a photo essay book that explores the “other” faces of Blackness – those who
may not immediately be recognized, accepted, or embraced as Black in this visually
racialized society.

Is this a great idea?! ABSOLUTELY!! Is that enough to get it published? Unfortunately not. Once upon
a time, a good idea was all a writer needed to secure a book contract. Times
have changed. In the past, one needed to get published in order to get
recognized. Now, one needs to be
published to get published–a frustrating reality for unpublished authors. With
publishers losing money on upwards of 80% of their book lists, they simply
aren’t willing to take as many risks as they used to, especially not on unknown
writers. So writers must now convince potential publishers that they can sell
enough books to turn a profit.

That's where YOU come in!

This campaign is as much about generating interest in the project as it is about raising funds to complete the project.

$9000 is the minimum amount we need to complete the book
project. Funds raised will help to cover a variety of
expenses including travel, film processing, digital layout and graphic design,
and the printing costs for a small number of books (maquettes). These books
will be used to promote the project and to attract a publishing contract.

Although the campaign budget is
$9000, we are very hopeful that we can raise MORE than this amount. If we raise
$12,000 we will be able to curate a
traveling exhibition. If we raise $20,000
we will be able to produce a documentary film featuring beautifully shot video
portraits, expert commentary, and general dialogue about skin color politics
and Black racial identity. The more we raise, the more we can produce!

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

(1)ne Drop
needs your support!And every
"drop" counts! Here are a few ways that you can help:

One of goals of (1)ne Drop is to
spark dialogue so, please, START TALKING! Tell your friends about our website.
Tell your friends about our Kickstarter campaign. Encourage them to pledge. Encourage them to tell their
friends. Blog. Report. Repost. Retweet. Please help us to spread the word.

LEND YOUR VOICE:

Does this project speak to you on
a personal level? Interested in sharing your thoughts and perspective? We would
love to include your voice in our blog! Please send your essay/story to the producers
at info@1nedrop.com for consideration. Essays/stories should be limited to 1500 words or less.
Please also include a 1-2 sentence bio and (1) high-resolution photograph (at
least 300 dpi).

PLEDGE

PLEDGE

PLEASE
PLEDGE

PLEDGE
PLEASE

We thank you in advance for your support
and very much look forward to sharing this project with you.

(1)ne!

____________________

READ MORE:

“What are you?”

Historically in the United States,
“the one-drop rule” defined any person with any amount of African ancestry as
“Negro/Colored/Black/.” By 1910, it was the law of the land in almost all
southern U.S. states. For some,
that one-drop of blood was to be recognized in one’s skin color, hair texture,
and facial features; for others it was undetectable. Visually obvious or not,
at a time when the one-drop rule functioned to protect and preserve Whiteness,
“Blackness” was both a matter of biology and the law; it mattered little what
one looked like.

“She’s not Black...”

At that particular historical
moment, one was either Black or White. Period. 100 years later, however, the
social and political landscape has seemingly changed. Or has it? What does it
mean to be Black? Who determines who is
Black and who is not? The State, the society, or the individual? Is Blackness a
matter of biology, culture, or consciousness? Perhaps no one is forced to
consider these questions more than those individuals whose physical appearance
does not look Black - those often rejected primarily because they are not seen
as “Black enough.” Whatever that is.

“…or is she?”

(1)ne Drop documents the thoughts, feelings, opinions, perspectives,
and experiences of a variety of people of African descent from around the
world. Their shared experience? Seeing themselves as Black and identifying as
Black, yet having their Blackness questioned for any variety
of reasons. "What are you?"
is a question that many of them have been asked repeatedly. Africana Studies scholar Yaba Blay and photographer Noelle Théard
have traveled extensively to photograph and interview 40 individuals
representing 20 countries about their own racial identity, their connection to
Blackness, and their experiences with skin color politics. Through candid personal narratives and beautifully captured
photographs, (1)ne Drop
provides living testimony to the fluidity
of Blackness and provokes new thinking and new conversations on race, skin
color, and identity.

(1)ne Drop = (1)ne Love

Through
this project, we intend to raise social awareness and spark community dialogue
about the complexities of Blackness as both an identity and a lived reality. We
seek to challenge popular notions of what Black is and what Black looks like –-
if we can recalibrate our lenses to see Blackness as a broader category of
identity and experience, perhaps we will be able to see ourselves as part of a
larger global community.

In the end, (1)ne Drop hopes to awaken a long-overdue and much needed dialogue
about racial identity and skin color politics.